Thanksgiving 2010

I have a lot to be thankful for this year. First I have had the opportunity to go back to school and it hasn't been a hard as I thought it would be especially since I have had to do two math classed back to back. I also have a wonderful family both immediate and extended.

This year we had the opportunity to travel to Shelly Idaho for Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun for the kids to get to play with their cousins. Even if we were only up there for 3 hours then had to turn around and come back home.

We also have had the extra money to get more then enough for the kids for Christmas as well as to spend a little bit more on Ladd and get him a much needed winter coat. I was also able have all of my Christmas finished early. I am officially finished and its not even the end of November yet.

My sisters, mom, and I also got up again on black Friday at 2 am and had so much fun shopping. Even if we never get the huge savings we just enjoy each others company and the laughs that ensue because of how tired we are and how much fun we are having. We always turn a few heads with how loud and energetic we are for it being so early in the morning.

The kids and I have the house all decorated for Christmas and even though I wrapped 50 Christmas books and don't want to wrap for a while we are very excited to start our "Story a day till Christmas."

I will post pictures later of Thanksgiving and the decorated house.

That's my life so far.

update since Halloween

Its been a while since I last updated so here is what has been going on. First I finally was able to take my Trig. final. I thought that after so much studying and having the date change that I did terrible because I kept on second guessing myself. Well I passed and not just that I was able to pass it with a B. Needless to say I was thrilled.

Leighton seems to be getting more done in school. Between Jake, Lei, and me we made the deal that for every spelling test he gets 100% on he gets $5.00 and for everyday of the week that his weekend report has no missing quizzes or assignments he can earn another $5.00 how ever for any assignment or quiz missing he owes me the dollar for that day (hence the 5 days of school for $5.00) So far Lei has made $10. It also works out because I was able to tie this into his chore namely his room. If I have to help get it cleaned up then he has to pay me he has until Wednesday to get his room cleaned up and then I get $3.00 of it back.

Xia is still Xia and sometimes I think that she just might not make it to the ripe age of 6. That child is as stubborn as they come. Her newest thing is yelling at me when she gets mad you would think that the time in her room or the flip of the mouth would deter her but no nothing seems to phase her. I guess its a good thing that she speaks her mind but sometimes I wish she wouldn't.

Today was picture day at Learning Tree. It actually went by pretty smooth and Lei and Xia took some cute pictures hopefully they turn out cute. Tomorrow is Picture day at West so I am sending Lei and Xia in their formal clothes to see which ones I like better the jeans on the Autumn background or the Sunday clothes on the Christmas background.

That all for now. Hopefully I will be able to say that I passed my last math and history by the next post. Fingers crossed.

Twas the Night before Halloween

Twas the night before Halloween and all through the house, Oh what we weren't at the house. My whole family got together at my mom and dads for a BBQ and pumpkin carving night before Halloween. It was so much fun it also made it so that my kids got to go "Trick or Treating" because Halloween fell on a Sunday and here in Utah it was celebrated on Sat. Well back to the story. After dinner we all went out side to carve our pumpkins (everyone had there own) and carved by the light of the moon and a few well placed spot lights I might add.

This is Leighton concentrating on his work. You can tell because his tongue is hanging out.

Here is Xia and Papa carving hers in the shop.

This is my finished product its the one on its side Ryan did the little one.

This is Leighton's and Tav's Lei's is the one without a top.

This is Griffin's and Xia's I'm not sure which one is which! Then we had all the grandkids get a picture in their costumes this is one of the better picture that they have done in a while.
That brings us to Halloween day. We started out our day by getting into costumes. Xia was Fancy Nancy this year, Leighton was a soldier (neither one of my kids like costumes off the rack we have to make them up) So we hunted for a real soldier costume for Leighton. This was no cheap project either it ended but costing me $40 because we had to go to the Army Navy surplus store. The shirt jacket and pins are all from real soldiers which is what Lei really wanted. I was Mad Madame Mim from the "Sword and the Stone". (don't mind the picture I just wanted a photo of the costume that my mom made for me. None of the kids from work knew right away who I was but that's nothing new I too don't like costumes off the rack. Last year I was Miss Viola Swamp from the book "Miss Nelson's Missing"

That brings us to the next part of the day where we started our rounds. We started at my Grandpa Hafey's. He was thrilled with this. First he noticed that Leighton's jacket said "SEABEES" I had no clue what this meant Lei just liked it so we bought it. Turns out that is the section of the Navy that Grandpa wanted to be in so he told Lei stories of being in the Navy and what it was that the "SEABEES" did. Then Mindi and Wilson showed up and so did Daph and her herd. This was nice seeing as how I usually am making the rounds myself. We were able to get a good picture of Grandpa and Mickey with all the kids in Costume.


Finally we made it to the night and the real "trick or treating" but first a stop at Grandma Searles were we pick up Lincoln. This is some of the grandkids and great grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa Searles.

And that was our Halloween in a nut shell.